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10 Sweet and Savory Fig Recipes for the End of Summer

by Gabriella Vigoreaux

on 08/20/14 at 10:54 AM

It's time to make a mad dash to the farmers' market and get your hands on some fresh figs. Like peaches and tomatoes, these gems are delicious when served simply, perhaps with a dollop of honey-sweetened ricotta or grilled and added to a salad. While we are tempted to call them fruits, figs are actually classified as flowering plants -- and when we eat them, we're actually eating thousands of blossoms inside of the "fruit," hence all those tiny seeds you see inside.

There are hundreds of fig varieties across the world, but the two main types you will come across in the US are Black Mission figs and Brown Turkey figs. Mission figs are small and dark purple, almost black, while Turkish figs are larger and paler. They have two seasons: The shorter and less bountiful lasts from June to July. The second fig crops starts in August and can run well into November, weather permitting. Ripe figs are nice and soft, but not too mushy, and they spoil quickly so get a move on it with some of our favorite recipes: